Babysitting
by Clara 1996
Summary: Clara and Danny have to work, and need someone to look after their fourteen month old daughter, luckily Clara knows the perfect person!
1. The Plan

**Okay, so I'm back! So, I'm now in Aus permanently! And, in between chasing after two young children (looking after, not mine!), and getting ready to do my degree in English, this little story popped into my head! Honestly, I'm starting to feel like Clara Oswald (if only!)!**

**This isn't brilliant, but enjoy!**

Clara was growing frustrated. One problem of living in the city meant that none of her friends were free during the day. All of them worked in 8 till 6, Monday to Friday jobs. It was GCSE time at Coal Hill, which meant every single teacher had to make themselves available if they wanted their students to pass. Everyone in Clara's family lived in Blackpool and Danny's were... well, who knew? The only person able to look after one year old Ellie was the woman down the road who ran a crèche. But she had come down with some sickness which meant her being around children at the moment was a no go. So, a temporary babysitter was needed. After quickly searching the papers the night before, Clara was out of ideas. It seemed at this rate that the only option would be hiring a full time nanny. Then inspiration hit her. Someone who could work ANY time, and the bonus was that they knew him and he knew Ellie. How could she have not thought of him sooner?

"I could always take a day off work?" Danny suggested, wandering into the living room which two bowls of pasta and handing her one.

"No need. I've had a great idea, and it's not taking Ellie to work again, not after last time. Think, we need someone who we know and is always available." It took Danny a minute, but when he realised who she meant he shook his head.

"No way. Absolutely not! No, she's just fourteen months old!"

"Look, Friday is an inset day, so it'll be four days. Then it's half term and we'll be around."

"Clara, have you even asked him yet? He won't agree, I know he won't. Look, I'll just ring work tomorrow and-"

"I'll ask him nicely. Asking nicely always does the trick." There was a pause, as they both comprehended what she had just said.

"Alright, well, all he'll have to do is give her a banana and make sure that she doesn't hurt herself. I can pop back Tuesday, I have a free period just before lunch." Danny sighed.

"Fine, call him. But Clara, I really don't think this will work."

**DWDWDWDWDW**

Clara rang the Doctor after dinner. He picked up after just two rings.

"Clara! What can I do for you?" Clara grinned to herself.

"Well, your goddaughter wants to spend some quality time with you." Silence. Then...

"What goddaughter? I don't have one, unless, that must have been your Christening that I gate crashed!" Clara rolled her eyes.

"No, I meant Ellie. Alright, she doesn't actually have a godfather, but you're the kind of unofficial one!" More silence. It seemed he was processing the information.

"Right, when you say spend time with me, is she old enough to take full responsibility of herself and possibly fight Daleks?"

"NO! Listen, she's fourteen months-"

"A lot younger than the others."

"-and, Danny and I have to work. Please, just Monday to Thursday, you at Danny and I's flat, just watching her."

"Clara, I've told you before, I'm a Timelord, not a babysitter." Clara ran a hand through her hair.

"Please, Doctor. Danny and I have to work, the kids need to pass their exams. Come on, we're helping to make this planet more intelligent!"

"Right. She can get her own food can't she?" This conversation was one step forward, two steps back.

"Okay, all I'm asking you to do is take care of her whilst Danny and I are at work. Like, giving her lunch. She goes to sleep from twelve till four, so you'll be fine. You can plan how to deal with the next load of Cybermen you meet, or something!" She could hear Danny snorting in the background. He found this funny. Fine, time to step the game up to the next level.

"Tell you what, don't take time out of your busy schedule. I mean, Danny said you wouldn't be able to do it anyway. Said you couldn't cope."

"Hey! I said-"

"I'll do it. Just give me the date." The Doctor interrupted over Danny's protests.

"May 19th, 2017. 8.10 am. See you then!" Clara hung up, then looked at her partner, who was frowning at her slightly.

"See, easy!"


	2. Monday

**Alrighty, so here is the first day of the Doctor's babysitting duties! Also, who saw the Christmas special? Just when I thought I was getting over Danny's death! And, me being the same height as Jenna/Clara meant that height comment was totally unnecessary (I'm only pretending to be offended, it was quite funny)! Anyhow, enjoy and please let me know if you like it or not!**

On Monday morning, 8.09 a.m according to the oven clock, the Doctor landed his Tardis in the living room. This was, of course, a normal occurrence for the residents of the flat now, and not even Ellie looked up. Clara was currently packing her and Danny's bags for work that day, while Danny was getting Ellie dressed. The Doctor stepped out and tapped Clara on the head.

"I'm here, one minute early! Say you're impressed!"

"Yeah, wonderful." Clara mumbled, shifting through the bags. Danny put Ellie down on the floor and took his satchel off Clara.

"I have a free period last, so unless something happens I should be back by three." The Doctor shrugged.

"I'll be fine. She's not gonna cause any trouble, if she does I'll hand her over to the Ice Warriors." Clara looked up from her bag, alarmed.

"Oh come on, it was a joke. You're meant to go 'ha ha, that's hilarious'. Like I'd do that, I have got some self control." Clara took a long look at Ellie, before glancing at her watch.

"I better get going, I've got a section in the assembly today." Saying goodbye to Ellie, the pair left, albeit rather reluctantly. It was only a few hours, how bad could it go?

**DWDWDWDWDW**

At 10, there was a fifteen minute break. This was normally an ideal time for most of the teachers to head off and get a cup of coffee and moan about some of their students. Clara, however, was on her mobile. Danny walked in from after his journey from the Maths corridor and smiled, guessing who was on the other end of the call.

"Has she had her banana yet?" Clara was asking.

"Well, I did give it to her, but she didn't do anything but look at it." Clara frowned.

"That's odd. Usually it's gone before I've got back to the kitchen."

"Hmm, right. Ooh, I've got an idea, shall I peel it for her?" Clara resisted the urge to swear profoundly at this man.

"Doctor, she is fourteen months old! She cannot peel a banana yet!" From behind her, Danny sighed. This man was definitely NOT a babysitter. And now he'd have to deal with Clara losing her rag.

"Pass the phone to me." Danny instructed, hand outstretched. Clara handed the mobile over looking rather worn down.

"Right, Doctor, just calm down. Or calm Ellie down. There's a plastic box in the fridge labelled Ellie's lunch. Give it thirty seconds in the microwave, then help her to eat it, make sure she's in her highchair too. After she's done, put her down for her sleep. We should be back before she wakes up." He handed the phone back then leaned against a desk as she finished up her conversation. Once she hung up, she turned to him.

"Well, if he manages to mess up the instructions you gave him, he is very much an idiot." Danny grinned guiltily

"I might have been a bit harsh with him-"

"No, trust me, Danny, I'd have been worse. Maybe this wasn't the best idea..." Danny put a hand on her shoulder.

"Look, it's just the first day. See what happens tomorrow. Worst comes to worst, I can take Wednesday off, you Thursday." Clara grinned.

"Are you able to leave early today?" Danny shook his head.

"No, I have to cover for Beth while she supervises the Geography exam." Clara nodded.

"Surely it can only get better, he probably just has high expectations of her. He is a 2,000 year old alien after all." Danny grimaced.

"It sounds very wrong when you say that."

**DWDWDWDW**

Meanwhile, back in the flat, the Doctor was puzzled. He'd found the plastic container Danny had told him about and heated up. But doing this in the kitchen meant he had to leave Ellie in the living room alone for five minutes. Once the meal had been heated up AND placed into a plastic little bowl, the Doctor walked back into the lounge and saw chaos. The cushions were all over the floor, the toy building blocks had been knocked down and scattered all over the place, and in the middle of the mess sat Ellie, chuckling to herself. The Doctor slammed the plastic bowl on the little dining table next to the door.

"Right! If you have not tidied all of this mess up in five minutes, I'll not give you any of your food." Ellie looked up at him, then laughed.

"I mean it. You're what, fourteen months old? On the planet Mironton the people can look after themselves at just ten months. Maybe I should take you there, and leave you." Ellie stared at him, her eyes (identical to her mother's) widening. The Doctor huffed.

"Fine. Have your stupid food. What is this anyway? It's all yellow and green. It looks like mush." He sniffed it.

"Oh, it's potato and peas. I hate peas. This is child abuse, I'll have a word with your parents! Tell you what..." He walked back into the kitchen and opened the freezer. There were oven chips, but they took way too long, plus they weren't salty enough. But he did know that there was a very good fish and chip shop just around the corner from the block. He could get fish there too while he was at it!

"Come on Elena, grab your coat, we're going out."

**DWDWDWDWDW**

For the first time ever, both Clara and Danny had let their classes go ten minutes early (and without homework!), which meant all of their students were extremely pleased with their teachers! Meanwhile, the pair had rushed home, eager to see whether their daughter was still okay. Clara unlocked the door to the flat first and stepped inside. The door to Ellie's bedroom was closed, which was a good sign. As they progressed into the living room, Clara gasped. The Doctor was sat on the sofa, Ellie next to him with what looked like chocolate around her mouth. And she was watching television in the day! Clara allowed just five minutes before bed. She slammed her bag down on the table, making both of the people on the sofa jump.

"What has been going on here? Because it looks suspiciously like Ellie has been eating chocolate and is watching Pingu. But you know that I don't let her do any of those things, don't you?" The Doctor smiled cautiously whilst Ellie gulped. It seemed that despite her age, she knew the seriousness of the situation.

"Actually, it's chocolate cake, the person at the fish and chip shop was selling it, he said it was home-made."

"You took her to the fish and chip shop?" Clara asked, her voice dangerously low.

"No." The Doctor lied, a little too quickly. He saw Clara chew her lip, while Danny put a hand on her shoulder to try and soothe her a little. Secretly, when it was just him and Ellie, he was a lot more relaxed. However, he was also a little better at hiding the evidence of the secret excursions.

"Right, well, has she had her nap at all?" Clara pressed. The look on the Doctor's face was all that Clara needed. She sighed, then went over and picked up Ellie.

"I'll have to put her down now then, otherwise she won't make it through dinner." Almost as if she guessed her mother's intentions, Ellie suddenly screeched.

"No! No sleep mummy!" Clara ignored the little girl's protests and headed off into her bedroom. The little girls wails continued through the closed door.

"Well, er, thanks for taking care of Ellie today." Danny said, trying to break the ice slightly. He knew that once Clara returned the atmosphere would be entirely different. Sure enough, once Clara returned five minutes later, Ellie having been mysteriously silenced, she started to pick up the toys and aggressively throw them into their boxes.

"Can you start on dinner please, Danny?" Clara asked, her voice slightly strained. Danny obeyed without saying a word.

"Are you staying for tea?" Clara asked, her voice returning to a neutral tone. The Doctor had the nagging feeling he was being drawn into a trap.

"A bit too domestic for me, I'm afraid." She nodded.

"Okay. So, are you okay for tomorrow?" He blinked, surprised by the sudden change in her attitude.

"Of course. Same time?"

"Yep. So, see you then. And Doctor, please just watch Ellie properly. You know, not setting her up to be a couch potato." The Doctor chuckled.

"I'll try my best, although in my defence, your daughter can be a little bratty sometimes!" Clara smiled.

"Are you saying you can't stand up to a fourteen month old?" The Doctor shook his head.

"Of course I can stand up to her! Oh, I have a little tale to tell you, by the way." Clara sighed. At this rate, this man would be here forever.

"Oh?"

"Yeah, you'll never believe this but when Ellie and I went down the road, the man in the fish and chip shop said 'Oh Ellie, have you brought down your granddad?' and she nodded!" Clara laughed.

"Try not to let it get to you." She froze all of a sudden, Ellie's toy puppy in her hand. She turned on the spot and walked in the direction of the kitchen.

"Danny, have you been taking Ellie to the fish and chip shop?!" Realising he'd gotten Danny into trouble, the Doctor hastily headed back into the Tardis and took off, leaving Danny to try and defend himself.


End file.
